Improvement in cotton-choppers



Nrrnn STATES PATENT Ormea.

.IOIIN A. LUIZ, OF VAYNESBOROUGH, VIRGINIA.

IIVIPROV-ENIENT IN COTTON-CHOPPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 108,9l, dated November l, 1870.

T0 a/ZZ rah/0pt it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN AUGUsrUs LUTZ, of Vaynesborough, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Cotton-Choppers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and f1 gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is arepresentation of my machine in plan view, and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a section of the revolving wheel with hoes attached.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a cottonchopper and eultivator, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention apprtains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents aframe, of any suitable dimensions, supporting` the driver7 s seat B, and through which the axle C passes. Upon the end of the axle areplaced the driving-wheels D D, one or both of which should be secured on the axle,`so that it will revolve with the wheel. The axle C also passes through the front end of another frame, E, which extends in rear of the axle, and rests upon lugs or plates a a at the rear end of the main frame A.

On the center of the axle G is placed a box, Z), connected by any suitable means with the left end of the frame E. In this box b, and in the center of the frame E, the shaft d has its bearings, said shaft being thus placed at right angles with the axle.

On the shaft d is placed a large wheel, G, which is made to revolve by means that will be presently described.

. On the front side of thewheel G, at the outer edge, are cut notches e e, at equal distances apart, and over each of these notches is placed a hoe, I. rIhese hoes have a sharp point, f,

projecting from the outer edge, which rst strikes the ground, and back of this point, on the outer edge of the hoe, is a gradually-increasing flange, h, bent forward, as is shown in Fig. 2. Directly over and beyond the notches e e the hoes I are cut out, as shown in Fig. 3.

On the rear side ofthe frame E are two adjustable bars, H, having each a wheel, J, at its lower end, which wheels move on the ground.

By adjusting these bars, the depth of the hoes as shown in Fig. l, one side of each frame bel ing pivoted and rendered adjustable by means of a cross-brace, k. Each of these frames is steadied while in the ground, or,rather,while the plows of said frame are in the ground, by means of a curved bar, m, extending from the frame E, and passing through aloop, n, on the side of the cultivator-frame. The frames LL are, by means of rods or chains o o, connected with arms p p, extending from a rod, M, which is placed in bearings along the upper rear edge of the frame E. On the right side of the machine another arm, r, extends in the same direction from the rod M, which arm is, by a rod, s, connected with a lever, N, pivoted on the side of the frame E. By turning the lever N forward it will be seen that the eultivatorframes L L are rst raised up out of the ground, almost close up to the bars H K, the curved bars m m acting as guides for them,

and then the entire frame E, with wheel G and other attachments, is turned on the axle upward till the lever is held by a hook at the front side of the frame A, and thus the entire` working mechanism is out of the ground. From the lever N extends toward the rear a slotted curved bar, vt, in which is inserted the end of a bent rod, '0, which works in bearings on the side of the frame E, and the other end of which is, by rods w w, connected with a collar or band, w, surrounding the hub of a miterwheel, P, placed on the axle C. This wheel I) turns with the axle, but can move lengthwise on the same, the axle being provided with a feather fitting in a groove in the hub of the wheel for that purpose. is in operation, this wheel P gears with a similar wheel, R, formed or attached in the center of the wheel G, and by this means the said wheel G obtains its rotating motion.

It will be observed that at the same time as When the machine 2. The combination of the lever N, rod M, with arms p r, connecting-rods o s, slotted bar t, rod o w, and collar x, all constructed and arp ranged substantially as and for the purposes i herein set forth.

In testimony that I ol aim the above I have hereunto subscribed my naine in the presence of two Witnesses.

-JOHN AUGUSTA LUTZ. Witnesses:

JAS. M. ELLIsoN, JNO. \V. ELLIsoN. 

